Bucaco was a monastic retreat by the 6th century. In 1628 the Carmelites built a hunting lodge here, walling in the forest (260 acres) to keep out the ordinary folk -- in 1622, the Pope had already banned women from the forest. King Carlos commissioned the extravaganza lodge in 1888. It is now one of the great hotels of Portugal, commemorated in tile as far away as in Aveiro's railroad station.